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6th
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Two-time world champion Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull) took his fourth pole positions in as many Japanese Grand Prix at Suzuka, just ahead of teammate Mark Webber.
Red Bull therefore celebrated its first front-row lock down of the season.
Jenson Button (McLaren) clocked the third best lap in Q3, but was forced to leave his spot on the grid to local hero Kamui Kobayashi (Sauber), as he suffers a five-position gearbox change penalty. Romain Grosjean (Lotus) set another good performance, taking fourth on the grid, juste beside Kobayashi.
The Japanese's Sauber teammate Sergio Perez is fifth, ahead of championship leader Fernando Alonso (Ferrari) and Kimi Raikkonen (Lotus). The Finn put a damper on everyone's session when he spun his car in a critical part of Q3.
Lewis Hamilton (McLaren), because of Raikkonen's spin, could do no better than ninth, one spot ahead of Force India's Nico Hulkenberg who, just like Button, suffers a penalty for gearbox change.
Felipe Massa (Ferrari), Michael Schumacher and Nico Rosberg (Mercedes) all had subpar performances, posting 11th, 13th and 15th fastest laps respectively. Because of his Singapore crash with Jean-Éric Vergne, Schumacher was hit on top of his bad performance with a 10-place grid penalty, which sets him back down to the very last row.
Qualifying results* - Japanese Grand Prix (Suzuka)
1.Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull RB8-Renault) - 1'30"839 - Q3
2.Mark Webber (Red Bull RB8-Renault) - 1'31"090 - Q3
3.Kamui Kobayashi (Sauber C31-Ferrari) - 1'31"700 - Q3
4.Romain Grosjean (Lotus E20-Renault) - 1'31"898 - Q3
5.Sergio Perez (Sauber C31-Ferrari) - 1'32"022 - Q3
6.Fernando Alonso (Ferrari F2012) - 1'32"114 - Q3
7.Kimi Raikkonen (Lotus E20-Renault) - 1'32"208 - Q3
8.Jenson Button (McLaren MP4/27-Mercedes) - 1'31"290 - Q3 **
9.Lewis Hamilton (McLaren MP4/27-Mercedes) - 1'32"327 - Q3
10.Felipe Massa (Ferrari F2012) - 1'32"293 - Q2
11.Paul Di Resta (Force India VJM05-Mercedes) - 1'32"327 - Q2
12.Pastor Maldonado (Williams FW34-Renault) - 1'32"512 - Q2
13.Nico Rosberg (Mercedes MGP W03) - 1'32"625 - Q2
14.Daniel Ricciardo (Toro Rosso STR7-Ferrari) - 1'32"954 - Q2
15.Nico Hulkenherg (Force India VJM05-Mercedes) - no time - Q3 **
16.Heikki Kovalainen (Caterham CT01-Renault) - 1'34"657 - Q1
17.Timo Glock (Marussia MR01-Cosworth) - 1'35"213 - Q1
18.Pedro De La Rosa (HRT F112-Cosworth) - 1'35"385 - Q1
19.Charles Pic (Marussia MR01-Cosworth) - 1'35"429 - Q1
20.Jean-Eric Vergne (Toro Rosso STR7-Ferrari) - 1'33"368 - Q2 *****
21.Vitaly Petrov (Caterham CT01-Renault) - 1'35"432 - Q1
22.Narain Karthikeyan (HRT F112-Cosworth) - 1'36"734 - Q1
23.Michael Schumacher (Mercedes MGP W03) - 1'32"469 - Q2 ***
24.Bruno Senna (Williams FW34-Renault) - 1'33"405 - Q1 ****
*Unofficial results
** Five-place grid penalty for gearbox change
*** Ten-place grid penalty for accident with Vergne
**** Five-place grid penalty for accident with Massa
***** Three-place grid penalty for blocking Senna in Q1
Red Bull therefore celebrated its first front-row lock down of the season.
Jenson Button (McLaren) clocked the third best lap in Q3, but was forced to leave his spot on the grid to local hero Kamui Kobayashi (Sauber), as he suffers a five-position gearbox change penalty. Romain Grosjean (Lotus) set another good performance, taking fourth on the grid, juste beside Kobayashi.
The Japanese's Sauber teammate Sergio Perez is fifth, ahead of championship leader Fernando Alonso (Ferrari) and Kimi Raikkonen (Lotus). The Finn put a damper on everyone's session when he spun his car in a critical part of Q3.
Lewis Hamilton (McLaren), because of Raikkonen's spin, could do no better than ninth, one spot ahead of Force India's Nico Hulkenberg who, just like Button, suffers a penalty for gearbox change.
Felipe Massa (Ferrari), Michael Schumacher and Nico Rosberg (Mercedes) all had subpar performances, posting 11th, 13th and 15th fastest laps respectively. Because of his Singapore crash with Jean-Éric Vergne, Schumacher was hit on top of his bad performance with a 10-place grid penalty, which sets him back down to the very last row.
Qualifying results* - Japanese Grand Prix (Suzuka)
1.Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull RB8-Renault) - 1'30"839 - Q3
2.Mark Webber (Red Bull RB8-Renault) - 1'31"090 - Q3
3.Kamui Kobayashi (Sauber C31-Ferrari) - 1'31"700 - Q3
4.Romain Grosjean (Lotus E20-Renault) - 1'31"898 - Q3
5.Sergio Perez (Sauber C31-Ferrari) - 1'32"022 - Q3
6.Fernando Alonso (Ferrari F2012) - 1'32"114 - Q3
7.Kimi Raikkonen (Lotus E20-Renault) - 1'32"208 - Q3
8.Jenson Button (McLaren MP4/27-Mercedes) - 1'31"290 - Q3 **
9.Lewis Hamilton (McLaren MP4/27-Mercedes) - 1'32"327 - Q3
10.Felipe Massa (Ferrari F2012) - 1'32"293 - Q2
11.Paul Di Resta (Force India VJM05-Mercedes) - 1'32"327 - Q2
12.Pastor Maldonado (Williams FW34-Renault) - 1'32"512 - Q2
13.Nico Rosberg (Mercedes MGP W03) - 1'32"625 - Q2
14.Daniel Ricciardo (Toro Rosso STR7-Ferrari) - 1'32"954 - Q2
15.Nico Hulkenherg (Force India VJM05-Mercedes) - no time - Q3 **
16.Heikki Kovalainen (Caterham CT01-Renault) - 1'34"657 - Q1
17.Timo Glock (Marussia MR01-Cosworth) - 1'35"213 - Q1
18.Pedro De La Rosa (HRT F112-Cosworth) - 1'35"385 - Q1
19.Charles Pic (Marussia MR01-Cosworth) - 1'35"429 - Q1
20.Jean-Eric Vergne (Toro Rosso STR7-Ferrari) - 1'33"368 - Q2 *****
21.Vitaly Petrov (Caterham CT01-Renault) - 1'35"432 - Q1
22.Narain Karthikeyan (HRT F112-Cosworth) - 1'36"734 - Q1
23.Michael Schumacher (Mercedes MGP W03) - 1'32"469 - Q2 ***
24.Bruno Senna (Williams FW34-Renault) - 1'33"405 - Q1 ****
*Unofficial results
** Five-place grid penalty for gearbox change
*** Ten-place grid penalty for accident with Vergne
**** Five-place grid penalty for accident with Massa
***** Three-place grid penalty for blocking Senna in Q1